


November Rain

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Books, Bookstores, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homelessness, Loneliness, M/M, Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 06:05:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1001877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes all you need is to be saved. Sometimes all you need is to be found.</p>
<p>The one where Louis owns a bookshop and Harry finds him on a grey November day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	November Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I wrote today... Hope you like it!
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated :)

It was one of those typical grey November days when Louis Tomlinson sat behind the counter of his little bookshop looking out of the window trying to count the raindrops. The golden October days were left behind and the cheerful, snowy December days didn’t arrive yet.

Louis loved his little bookshop where he sold old and new, loved and hated, famous and unknown books. His bookshop was different. It wasn’t one of those crazy stores where you could get cheap books and a cappuccino but the employees had no ides what they where talking about. Louis knew every single book in the shelves; at least he liked the idea of doing so. He loved to talk to his costumers about books they bought and recommended new ones for them to read. He loved his job though he didn’t make much money. But it was enough to pay his bills and to live a simple life. He didn’t need much.

November made people unsocial, not spending much time outside their houses. Always in a rush to reach their destination before the rain would fall again. There wouldn’t be many costumers that day. Knowing that he walked into the small room next to the counter where he made himself some Yorkshire tea and grabbed the muffin he bought this morning at the bakery across the street.  
  
He placed the mug and the muffin on the counter and took one of his favourite books out of the box he put underneath the counter for moments like this.  
The book was only a few years old but one could see that it was read many times though Louis was always careful with his books as they were like close friends. He remembered the first time he read _The Shadow of the Wind_ and how he couldn’t put it down once he started to read it. He  was so fascinated by the story of Daniel Sempere and the mysterious book that he spend the whole night reading it and when the morning came and he put the book down it felt like he had to say goodbye to a good friend. Thankfully that friend was always waiting for him to be read again.

After a few moments Louis walked another time through the streets of Barcelona and forgot everything around him. He didn’t realise that the sky was turning black and that the rain got even worse.  
He also didn’t hear the bell ringing when someone walked into the bookshop.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry about the floor!” the curly haired guy said but he got no answer.  
  
“Excuse me…hello.” He said again walking over to the counter where Louis was still reading his book.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you. I wasn’t expecting any costumers today.” Louis said as an apology.

“But you are open, right? I don’t want to go out there again.” The guy said looking over to the window.

Louis was following his glance and realised that is was dark outside.

“We are open. Well, I would close now but I can’t send you out there, can I?”

“I hope not.” He answered with a shy smile on his face.

He had dimples and his green eyes sparkled when he smiled. That was the only thing Louis paid attention to when he looked at the guy standing in front of him. He was taller than him though he must have been a few years younger, Louis thought. But something was off, Louis though, even when the other one smiled, there was still a hint of sadness in his eyes.  
Before he could think more it, he realised that the other boy was shivering and that the water was still running from his coat on the wooden floor.

“You better give me your coat before you totally ruining the floor. I’m going to get you a towel and you can sit down on the couch.” Louis said pointing over to the dark green couch standing in the corner of the bookshop.

“Thank you but you don’t have to take care…” before he could even finish his sentence the green eyed boy had to sneeze.

“Well, it looks like I better take care of you before you get a cold. It would take so much longer…” Louis answered walking to the stairs which lead to the small flat above the bookshop.

 

Walking over to the corner of the bookshop he sat down at the couch playing his bag on the floor and looking around him. His eyes wandered around the small bookshop and a little smile crossed his face. He always loved to be surrounded by books. They gave him the feeling of home though he was never able to afford many books. But one day he knew he would have his own library. A place where he would feel safe and loved.

“Here you go!” Louis said handing him the towel and Harry took it drying his hair and hands as much as he cold when he heard the teakettle somewhere.

“I better get that.” Louis said leaving the boy alone once more.

Returning with to cups of tea in his hand and a package of cookies under his right arm Louis said “It should help you to get warm again. Sorry I didn’t ask if you actually like tea but I didn’t have anything else.”

“Tea is fine. Thanks.” He answered taking the cup into his hands and enjoying the warm feeling it brought him before taking a small sip.

“It’s Louis by the way.” Louis said sitting down in the old armchair beside the couch.

“Harry.” The other boy said looking down at the cup.

Louis saw that he was still shivering and he noticed that Harry only wore a thin shirt. Far too less on a cold day like this. He stood up und turned on the heater hoping the room would be warmer soon. Before sitting down again he grabbed a blanket which was lying on the floor for the kids to play on while their parents looked around the shop.

“Sorry for the Peter Pan but should help you warm up.” Louis said smiling.

Harry only took the blanket from Louis with a nod, not saying anything.

They said there for a while enjoying their teas with the only sound being the rain hammering against the windows.

“Why are you out on a day like this without an umbrella?” Louis asked breaking the silence between them.

“Why are open in a day like that. Guess didn’t have a lot of costumers today.” Harry answered ignoring the question.

“For lost people like you.”  
  
“I’m not lost. Maybe I should go and leave you alone.” Harry said softly hoping Louis wouldn’t want him to go.

“Bullshit, you are still cold and even if you would live around the corner, which I’m sure you are not because I’ve never seen you before, it would still be death going out there now.”  
Louis answered and he could swear Harry sighted with relief. There was something about this boy, and Louis couldn’t figure out what, which made Louis feel like he needed to take care of him. If only for a few hours.

“Do you need to call someone? Letting them know where you are before they will get worried? You can use the phone.”  
  
“No, no, there is no one but thanks.” Harry answered fast wishing there would be someone who would like to know he is safe.

“Oh okay. Do you want something to eat? Not that I can cook but…”  
  
“No, thanks. I’m not hungry.” Harry answered but his stomach spoke a different language. He didn’t eat any of the cookies Louis placed on the table because he felt it would be wrong to take more than he already got.

Louis noticed Harry’s stomach growling but didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. He simply walked over to the counter, took the phone and ordered a pizza. A big one this time.

 “Pizza should be here in 30min.” Louis announced walking back to Harry.

“Poor guy.” Harry said looking out of the window.  
  
“Oh yeah, but well I’m their best costumer so it should be ok.” Louis smirked and Harry could only notice his deep blue eyes looking at him.  
  
When the pizza guy arrived Louis announced that they made a mistake and delivered a big one this time. So he would need Harry’s help to eat it all.

Harry was certain that this was a lie but he didn’t mind some pieces of pizza as he wasn’t sure when he would get the next opportunity to eat something.

 

“What were you reading when I came in earlier? I mean it must have been really good as you didn’t even hear me enter.”  
  
“The Shadow of the Wind. Do you know it? It’s one of my favourites.”  
  
“It’s one of my favourites too.” Harry said taking a copy out of his bag and showing it to Louis. It was obvious that it was read many times.

“And that makes you my new best friend!” Louis announced with a smile.

“Bet you have a low standard then.”  
  
“No, no. Books have to power to bring people together. What’s the other book?” Louis asked him pointing at the smaller book Harry was also holding.

“The Little Prince. I got from my mum when I couldn’t even read. It was her copy. I carry it around everywhere and I swear I know every single word. Hopefully it won’t fall apart anytime soon.”  
  
 _““You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night. You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh.””_

“It’s a wonderful part of the book. Sad and hopeful at the same time.”  
  
“It’s my favourite. People only know the part about the heart but there are many more.

What’s your favourite?” Louis asked.

“The one about the sunsets…” Harry answered not looking at Louis.

“Do you love sunsets?”

“Yeah…” Harry whispered and Louis could swear he saw tears in his eyes.

“Harry? Do you have a place to go to when I would close the store now?” He didn’t get an answer.  
  
“I guess that’s a no then. How old are you anyway? Where are you from? Where is your family? Your friends? What happened?” Louis asked not knowing why he chose those questions. He didn’t want to make Harry uncomfortable but he really wanted to help him, even more now.

“I’m 18.” Harry slowly began to speak and Louis could hardly hear him. “From Chesire. My dad throw me out on my birthday a few months back when I told him I was gay and I lived with a few friends but can’t do that anymore. I can’t bother them any longer so I came to London few days ago but couldn’t find a job or a place to stay at and so I wandered around the streets until I saw you sitting there reading your book… I don’t know why I walked in though. I can’t afford a book right now and I didn’t want to disturb you, really. I just, I just couldn’t stay out in the rain any longer and books always felt like home to me. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m bothering you with my problems. I can’t stay. I should really leave.”

Harry didn’t know why he was telling Louis this. He didn’t tell anyone before. He couldn’t tell anyone before. He was about to take his bag and leave when he felt Louis’ hands on his should as he sat down beside him. Soon he felt Louis’ arm around him.

“You looked like you needed it.” Louis whispered into his ear still hugging the boy. “You know, people say it’s easier to talk to strangers because they see us as we are and not how they want us to be. I’m not letting you go out there. And if you can’t stay for yourself, do it for me. I don’t want to worry about you all night wondering if you are safe and alive. Please Harry. Sure, I can’t promise you a happy ending. I can’t promise to solve your problems over night but I promise you to be here for you, to help you. We will figure something out. I promise.”

“Why would you do that? You don’t know me!” Harry asked with tears in his eyes.

“Because I want to Harry… And as you should know, it’s the time I spend with you which makes you special, even if it just a short one. And I can’t let you go because I’m responsible for you now.”  
  
Harry smiled at Louis because he knew those words. He read them many time before and for the first time he felt like those words were only written for him.

“Thank you.” Harry said putting his head down on Louis’s chest.

“You are most welcome.” Louis answered before he took the blanket and put it over the two of them. It didn’t matter that they only knew each other for a few hours. It didn’t matter that hardly knew anything about each other.

They didn’t share more words this night as none of them dared to break the comfortable silence between them.  
But for the first time in a long time Harry felt safe. And for the first time in a long time Louis didn’t feel lonely.

 

When the women from the bakery arrived the next morning to bring Louis some breakfast, she found the two boys sleeping peacefully on the couch and looking at them, she didn’t have the heart to wake them up. So she put the bag on the counter and left a small note.  
Turning the small sign at the door over to CLOSED she left the shop with a smile on her face.


End file.
